(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to turbomachinery. More particularly, the invention relates to dampers for damping relative motion of adjacent blades in a turbomachine rotor.
(2) Description of the Related Art
A typical gas turbine engine has, in its compressor and turbine sections a number of blade-carrying disks that rotate about the engine axis and are interspersed with arrays of vanes that do not. The periphery of each disk may have a circumferential array of convoluted blade retention slots which receive complementary root portions of associated blades. Neck portions of the blades extend outward to platform sections which have outboard surfaces that help to locally define an inboard surface of the core flowpath through the engine. The blade airfoil extends from a root at the platform outboard surface to an outboard tip. Thermal and mechanical stresses and wear can produce relative motion of adjacent blades. It is accordingly known to provide dampers between the platforms of adjacent blades. An exemplary damper is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,812. Substantial ongoing efforts exist in improving blade damper technology.